The Tourist Board of the City of Pula, in cooperation with the Tourist Board of Fažana, the Tourist Board of Ližnjan and the Tourist Board of Medulin, has been organizing three excellent quality and, most importantly, authentic tourist facilities for the 13th year in a row. The first is the summer fair of Istrian souvenirs, gastronomic and gourmet products – Istra Mix, the second is Istra Gourmet – a fair of typical Istrian gourmet products and the Fair of Istrian souvenirs where items are made directly in front of tourists.I know I believe you expected these to be examples of mega big events, but precisely because we all look megalomaniacal, many have lost the “compass” and the essence of the whole story.The motive for coming, especially outside the peak season, is the destination, ie the diverse, high-quality and authentic content of the tourist destination. Not every event should or should be large, those “medium and small” events are extremely important and crucial. They give rhythm and soul to the destination.One big event lasts a couple of days, and such facilities last all year round. The right mix of diverse, quality and authentic content, whether large or small, makes a winning formula for the successful development of tourism.But let’s go in order…ISTRIAN SOUVENIR FAIR For the 13th year in a row, the Pula Tourist Board has been organizing the Istrian hand made summer fair of Istrian souvenirs. At the Summer Fair of Craftsmen every week from 15.6.-15.9. artisans will exhibit, sell and produce souvenirs and handicrafts; Mondays and Tuesdays in Pula. The working hours of the fair are from 15.6-31.8. from 20-23, and from 1.9.-15.9. from 19-22 hours.The interesting thing about this event is that some items are made directly in front of tourists. All exhibitors have T-shirts and bags with the Istrian hand made logo to make the event recognizable. The goals of the event are: to enrich the tourist offer of the city and provide tourists with the opportunity to buy handicrafts and indigenous souvenirs.2018 craftsmen will participate in the Istrian hand made fair in 11:Craft ANDARTE-GLASS, Mrs. Morena Andačić, Pula – decorative and useful glass objectsGlass blowing trade LANCIN, Mr. Marko Celija, Pula – making glass objectsHome craft Kolić Gordana, Pula – objects made of modeled wireHome craft Boris Glišić, Pula – Istrian motifs in stoneHome craft Nadija Radola, Pula – Istrian motifs in stonePTO Vetro Miani, Alen Miani, Umag – unique Murano jewelryOPG Pekica Aleksandra, Svetvincenat – lavender productsDomestic handicrafts Milan Vitasović, Marčana – traditional Istrian instruments, sprts, basketsOPG Predan Branko, Vodnjan – production of soaps, creams and lip balms from medicinal herbsHomemade handicraft Happy horses, Pula – leather products and souvenirsHome craft Eda Mirković, Vodnjan – decoupage box and box with Istrian motifsISTRIA GOURMETIstra Gourmet is the event that is being held for the 10th time this year. , organized by TZO Medulin. It is a fair of typical Istrian gourmet products, products for which Istria has become famous and recognizable – such as prosciutto, olive oil, truffles, wines, brandies, cheeses, honey, homemade cakes (candies, amaretti, ..), homemade jams .The fair is held from 15.06.-15.09., On Mondays in Premantura (placa), on Tuesdays in Medulin (waterfront) in the evening, from 15.06—31.08. from 20-23 h, and from 01.09.-15.09. from 19-22 h. This year it starts on Monday 18.06. with Premantura, and ends on 11.09. in Medulin. The special feature of the fair is that the products can be tasted and presented and sold by the producers themselves (small family farms) from the area of southern Istria. We want to bring domestic products and producers closer to our guests so that they take something typical Istrian to their homes instead of classic souvenirs, especially since one general trend in the world is turning to indigenous versus globalization. In addition, visitors in conversation with manufacturers can get additional information about how which product is produced, etc., which gives it extra charm.A total of 11 exhibitors are participating in the Istra Gourmet event, and the exhibitors are:Craft Kod Milana – prosciutto, ombolo and other meat specialtiesKalavojna doo – wines and brandiesOPG Fiore, OPG Tanger, OPG Crnobori – olive oilOPG Štoković, OPG Bulić – medcraft Vesna Loborika, OPG Jukopila – cheeses and other dairy productscraft Franco – marmaladeVR CHOCO ART – Istrian chocolate collectionISTRIA MIX Istra mix, ie the Fair of Istrian gourmet products and souvenirs – Istrian hand made and Istra gourmet, will also be held from 15.06. to 15.09. for the 8th year in a row in Fažana and the 4th year from 12.7. to 30.8. in Ližnjan.In Fažana, where the event will take place on Wednesday, in addition to the producers of souvenirs (listed on the list of Istrian hand made), the following producers of gourmet products are participating:TRGOVAČKI OBRT KOD MILANA, prosciutto, ombolo, sausagesOBRT VESNA LOBORIKA, cheeseOBRT FRANKO HRELJA, fig, marmaladecraft VR CHOCO ART, chocolate productsKALAVOJNA, doo, wines and sparkling winesAGROUDRUGA FAŽANA, olive oilOPG BULIĆ, medThe atmosphere will be complemented by folklore performed by KUD Kanfanar.20 exhibitors will take part in the Istra mix in Ližnjan, which will be held every Thursday from 23 pm to 8 pm on a green area in front of the Municipality.OPG Komparić, Marko Komparić – fig productsOPG Ivetac – olive oilMosca Bonsai – decorative items, souvenirs and jewelryPlacenta trade – frituleSvjetlana – decorative items and jewelryOlujić – independent artistHomemade Zgrablić Suzana – scented candles, lavender soapsHomemade Happy Horses – leather products and souvenirs Could this tourist story be better?Kudos to the Tourist Boards of Pula, Medulin and Fažana, that is what our tourism lacks. This is the foundation of a tourist destination development – respect yourself and you will respect others.Tourists want to get to know, feel, taste indigenous local products, even if you tell them a story that’s it – the essence of tourism. This must be the foundation of tourism of all tourist destinations, and the rest is an upgrade. The Germans don’t want to try German sausages, but our homemade ones. And if they like it, they will buy it and take it home where, in the company of their friends, they will spread the story of a great vacation and taste our home-made and indigenous sausage. Sausage is just a metaphor, we have to sell ourselves, our culture, gastronomy, history and identity. This is what tourists want to experience. This tourist story is so simple, and yet so ingenious. It should be the standard story of each of our tourist destinations.Also, not all events have to be megalomaniacal that attract tens or hundreds of thousands of visitors. In fact, it is the medium and small events that give the rhythm and soul of the city, have special charms, and participate in the final quality and impression of the destination. We must finally understand that tourism is not the sun and the sea, and that our greatest advantage is precisely this diversity through history, gastronomy, music, culture, customs and everything else. We have thousands of different indigenous stories, we just have to be who we are and tell those stories.Also, one should put oneself in the role of a guest. What can I do in the destination, what can I experience, what can we impress them with? What story might be interesting to them? These are questions we need to ask ourselves. The sun and the sea are great, but that’s not enough. The focus is on content, content and only quality and authentic content.Let us be what we are because tourists want to see, experience and taste just that. We do not need a new big idea of our tourism, but finally we have to be and sell what we are – Istrians, Dalmatians, Slavonians, Međimurje, Zagorje, Ličani…. Croats. Let’s be what we are – indigenous, authentic and credible! That is the story we have to tellTourism consists of emotions, experiences and stories. Tell stories, our stories
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